Apple Considering Offering Audio Versions of News+ Stories

apple news iconApple News+ may provide users with an option to listen to audio versions of some stories in the future, according to publishers who spoke with Digiday:

Over the past several months, Apple has been asking the publishers participating in its year-old premium program for permission to produce audio versions of the stories distributed there, according to sources at four different publishers that have heard the pitch.

Apple will handle production costs, and compensate publishers in the same way it compensates them for the written content available on Apple News+, two sources said; Apple metes out 50% of subscriber revenue to publishers based on how much time those subscribers spend with publishers’ content in a 30-day period.

There is no timetable for when the audio versions of stories may launch.

The report also notes that many publishers remain dissatisfied with the revenue they earn from Apple News. In December, one publisher told Digiday that they generate less than $20,000 per month from Apple News+.

Speaking on an earnings call last month, Apple CEO Tim Cook said that Apple News had reached 125 million monthly active users, but the company has not provided an update on Apple News+ subscribers since noting that over 200,000 users signed up for the service in the first 48 hours after it launched last year.

Popular Stories

hikawa phone grip stand apple%402x

Apple Launches Second Limited-Edition iPhone Accessory in a Month

Friday November 21, 2025 3:53 am PST by
Apple has begun selling the Hikawa Phone Grip and Stand, a new limited-edition iPhone accessory designed with accessibility in mind. Designed by LA-based Bailey Hikawa to celebrate the 40th anniversary of accessibility at Apple, the grip uses magnets to securely snap onto any iPhone with MagSafe. Apple says it can be removed with ease, and doubles as a stand with two different viewing...
iOS 26

iOS 26.2 Adds These New Features to Your iPhone

Thursday November 20, 2025 10:50 am PST by
iOS 26.2 is currently in beta testing. The upcoming update includes a handful of new features and changes on the iPhone, including a new Liquid Glass slider for the Lock Screen's clock, offline lyrics for Apple Music, and more. In a recent press release, Apple confirmed that iOS 26.2 will be released to all users in December, but it did not provide a specific release date. Keep reading...
Apple Shopping Event 2025

Apple Announces 2025 Black Friday Event, Here's What You Can Get

Thursday November 20, 2025 6:28 am PST by
Apple's annual four-day Black Friday through Cyber Monday shopping event is returning on Friday, November 28 through Monday, December 1 in many countries, including the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, the United Kingdom, Belgium, the Netherlands, Sweden, Thailand, and others. During the shopping event, customers can get an Apple gift card with...
iOS 26 on Three iPhones

iOS 27 Will Reportedly Have Two Key Upgrades

Sunday November 23, 2025 8:48 am PST by
iOS 27 will reportedly have two major elements: quality improvements and new AI features. In his Power On newsletter today, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said that iOS 27 will be similar to Mac OS X Snow Leopard, in the sense that Apple is focused on improving "quality and underlying performance" over adding new features. Gurman said there is one exception to this rule, though, as he expects...
maxresdefault

The MacRumors Show: iPhone 18 Pro Looks Like a Huge Upgrade

Friday November 21, 2025 9:10 am PST by
On this week's episode of The MacRumors Show, we talk through all of the new features and improvements expected to come to next year's iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max models. Subscribe to The MacRumors Show YouTube channel for more videos Apple's next-generation iPhones are less than ten months away and we already have a good idea about what to expect based on corroborated leaks, rumors,...
Apple Foldable Thumb

Foldable iPhone to Debut These Two Breakthrough Features

Wednesday November 19, 2025 7:26 am PST by
Apple's first foldable iPhone is expected to launch alongside the iPhone 18 Pro models in fall 2026, and it's shaping up to include two standout features that could set it apart from the competition. The book-style foldable will reportedly feature an industry-first 24-megapixel under-display camera built into the inner display, according to a recent JP Morgan equity research report. That...
ipad black friday 2025

The Best Early Black Friday iPad Deals

Thursday November 20, 2025 10:20 am PST by
Black Friday is just over a week away, and iPad deals have finally started to flood in at retailers like Amazon and Best Buy. Below we're tracking discounts on every current generation iPad, including lowest-ever prices on M3 iPad Air and M5 iPad Pro, plus steep markdowns on iPad and iPad mini. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When you click a link and make a ...
General Black Friday Deals 25 Red

Apple Black Friday Deals Available Now on AirPods, iPads, Accessories, and More

Friday November 21, 2025 8:48 am PST by
We're officially less than one week away from Black Friday, which will take place on Friday, November 28 in 2025. As always, this will be the best time of the year to shop for great deals, including popular Apple products like AirPods, iPad, Apple Watch, and more. In this article, the majority of the discounts will be found on Amazon. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these...
Low Cost MacBook Feature A18 Pro

Report: Low-Cost iPhone, iPad, MacBook Coming Early 2026

Friday November 21, 2025 2:26 am PST by
Apple is planning to release new entry-level models across its iPhone, iPad, and Mac categories early next year, with an all-new affordable MacBook the most notable addition to the lineup. According to a new research report by Jeff Pu of GF Securities seen by MacRumors, Apple will launch the iPhone 17e – its second iteration of the "e" line – in the spring, likely along with a...

Top Rated Comments

Naaaaak Avatar
72 months ago
I don't understand why I would want to pay for Apple News+, most of which is just big network propaganda, over an RSS reader with feeds I add that are catered to me and free.
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Apple Knowledge Navigator Avatar
72 months ago
They should also consider calling it a day
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
imnotthewalrus Avatar
72 months ago
I’ve tried to warm up to Apple News...for me, it’s less frustrating to simply web search what info I’m looking for. Apple News has too many paywalled stories (which I realize is how it’s paid for), but my admittedly cheapskate view is “why buy the cow when you can get the milk for free?” ?
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Mykbibby Avatar
72 months ago
Of all of Apple's service expansions, this is actually my favorite and the one I see having the most long term promise.

That said, it's really embarrassing for Apple how poorly these have performed. Tim Cook has a lot of strengths, but if there was one thing Steve Jobs would have been absolutely perfect for, it would have been extending Apple's reach into the original production and distribution of art and media. It's a real shame we didn't get to see what that would have looked like—especially Apple TV+.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
w5jck Avatar
72 months ago
Apple News is crap. The stories are available through better sources. The articles tend to be old and recycled over and over again for days or even weeks. For news to be news, it needs to be new! An old story ceased being news after it was first reported. And the paywall just makes it all suck even more. I can get my news from other easily accessed sources, and it is more up to date and less of an Entertainment Tonight style of garbage.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
trusso Avatar
72 months ago

That said, it's really embarrassing for Apple how poorly these have performed. Tim Cook has a lot of strengths, but if there was one thing Steve Jobs would have been absolutely perfect for, it would have been extending Apple's reach into the original production and distribution of art and media. It's a real shame we didn't get to see what that would have looked like—especially Apple TV+.
Actually, I think Steve would have had the wherewithal to stay the f--- out.

Tim thinks just because you throw a bunch of money at something you can be good at it.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)